Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 Preview

At a Sony press conference yesterday I was able to have a look at the new 10 megapixel Sony Alpha A100 Digital SLR, the camera will be available in silver or black "two-tone" bodies, and will be available at three prices, body only, body and kit lens (18-70mm), and body and twin lens (18-70mm and 70mm to 300mm as shown above). The 10 megapixel sensor provides a 1.5x multiplyer so these lenses are equivalent to 27-105mm, and 105-450mm. The UK prices are £599 body only, £699 with kit lens and £849 with twin kit lens, with availability in July.

Sony's motto for the Alpha Digital SLR system is: "If you have a camera and you take photographs, you're already a photographer. With Alpha we just want you to be an even better one."

Click to read the full article. (Updated)

Sony Alpha A100 with 18-70 Kit lens - The lens is identical to the Konica Minolta version that came with the Konica Minolta Dynax 5D. Focusing and feel seem identical apart from the SONY logo, and the camera's new "Eyestart Autofocus", everytime you put your eye up to the viewfinder, the camera automatically focuses on the subject, automatically works out the correct exposure setting, and automatically switches the LCD screen off. This made using the camera quicker as the camera has already focused while you frame your picture.

Manual pop-up flash - The manual pop-up flash appears the same as the 5D flash. The Sony Alpha system features an orange / red coloured symbol, this is featured on the lens mount, and the Alpha system accessories such as the lens strap shown in these pictures. The A100 is the first Digital SLR in the new Alpha system range, and there were some very strong hints that there will be a very competitive series of releases from Sony in the future (such as a Professional DSLR... etc). All the current signs, such as the premium Carl Ziess lenses that will be available, plus the other high end / high zoom lenses, point to the future release of a more professional body.

Compared to the Konica Minolta Dynax Maxxum 7D - The A100 is a development of the 5D body - and is shown here next to the Konica Minolta Dynax 7D - this one belongs to Andy from www.ukexpert.co.uk. The A100 has the 11-18mm Konica Minolta fish-eye lens attached. The optical viewfinder of the A100 seemed very similar to the 7D viewfinder and it was difficult to tell if there were any differences in quality. The A100 is compatible with all previous Dynax / Maxxum lenses, of which 16 million have been sold, and is released with two Sony G kit lens, both of these have analog manual focusing rings which made manual focusing quite straight-forward and easy (unlike the electronically linked manual focusing ring on the Olympus E-500 kit lens).

Sony Alpha A100 2.5" Screen - The 2.5" screen is a high resolution 230,000 pixel screen, as featured on the Sony Cybershot DSc-T9 - it has an AR coating and is designed to work outdoors in bright sunlight. The menu system is almost identical to that found on the 5D except for slight changes to the colour scheme. The camera features the same colour options as the 5D, such as Standard, Vivid, Portrait, Landscape, Evening, Night, Monochrome, Adobe RGB.

Specifications: (in brief)

• 10.2 megapixel APS-C size CCD sensor, 3:2 aspect ratio
• Anti-dust protection system (anti-dust coating and sensor vibration system)
• Super Steadyshot in camera body (moves CCD sensor) for upto 3.5 stops
• Dynamic Range Optimizer (first in DSLR)
• BIONZ Image Processor Engine
• ISO Range 80 - 1600
• 2.5" 230k pixel LCD screen
• Compatible with Dynax/Maxxum/Alpha lenses
• Optical viewfinder with Eye-start autofocus
• Depth of field preview
• Built in Noise Reduction available at shutter speeds longer than 1 second
• 3fps continuous shooting till card is full (JPEG), 6 frames RAW
• Sony Stamina 1600 mAh Lithium-ion battery - upto 750 shots CIPA standards
• Dimensions: 94.7 x 133.1 x 71.3mm
• Wright: 545g (without battery)
• Compact Flash slot compatible with type I/II (Microdrive), supplied with MemoryStick DUO adapter
• 21 Sony G lenses and premium Carl Zeiss lenses by end of 2006

Update: Sony see the DSLR market growing 30% over the next year in Europe - and Sony are planning on being an ever growing part of the DSLR market - they said there were aiming to be challenging the number 1 position in 2008. The Sony Alpha A100 is an entry point digital SLR with features of a more expensive camera. Whilst the A100 is the most competitively priced 10 megapixel Digital SLR, in my opinion, the Anti-shake / Super Steady shot CCD sensor is the most appealing feature of this digital camera - it turns every single lens (from the 11mm fisheye, to the 300mm super zoom) into an anti-shake lens. From looking at the photos taken by the camera, it appears as though it's maintained the excellent Konica Minolta colour and image quality from the 5D and 7D. When this camera is released, this digital SLR will be number one on my shopping list for a Digital SLR.

Further Links:
DPNow ISO Noise Tests ISO100 - 1600
DPhoto.it have published full sample photos
DCWatch have posted several sample photos
DPReview have posted several sample photos.